Unseen evil spirits dwell in minds of some Nigerian politicians ― Gani Adams

Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, on Tuesday in Lagos said that there are unseen evil spirits dwelling in the minds of some Nigerian politicians, which give them the audacity to believe they can mortgage the future of citizens and get away with it.

This was just as he noted that the country had come a long way in her search for a selfless, servant-leader which the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo epitomized, asserting that the quality of service exhibited by the late sage in the 60s as premier of the Western Region had remained an enduring model till date.

Iba Adams made this assertion while speaking at the 2022 Eledumare Festival organised by the Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF), held at the Fagba area in the Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area of the state.

The Yoruba Generalissimo, who spoke at the event graced by the Onifako of Ifako, Oba Oyeyinka Fatusi, represented by Olori Risikat Fatusi; the Alakute of Akute, Oba Idowu Akingbade Akindele; the Olojodu of Ojodu, Oba Olusegun Benson; Osi Aare Onakakanfo, High Chief Gani Kayode Balogun; High Chief Akeem Muraina, Coordinator OPC, Iju Ifako Local Government, Chief Oluwasegun Adetokunbo; Chief Abiodun Phillip, among others, however, said there was
need for Nigerians “to pray and seek the face of God, Eledumare to consecrate their minds and rid them of unseen, evil spirits and machinations.”

Besides, he said Nigerian leaders, political office holders, including governors, traditional rulers, as well as religious leaders must identify with the people at the grassroots in order to address the leadership questions confronting the country.

“But at this stage of our political lives, things have changed. We have politicians who are driven by deceit and lies. There are some unseen evil spirits that dwell in their minds.

“These unseen evil spirits give them the audacity to believe that they can mortgage our future and get away with it,” Adams said.

“However, at this juncture, I think there is a need for us to pray and seek the face of God, Eledumare to consecrate their minds and rid them of unseen, evil spirits and machinations.

“Therefore, in solving the leadership questions, our leaders, political office holders, including governors, traditional rulers, as well as religious leaders must identify with the people at the grassroots,” he added.

Aare Adams, while comparing the current era to the past, said the sage, Chief Awolowo’s philosophy of service had truly raised the bar in public service, leaving a huge gap that seemed very difficult for the present crop of politicians in the South-West to fill, asserting that the Western Region under the late leader’s premiership was reputed to be the leading region in national politics and development, in Nigeria’s history.

According to him, the success stories recorded during those years were centred on regionalism, which allowed each region to develop and have a considerable amount of autonomy to determine its governance, policies, economic growth and advancement.

“In Ibadan which was the political headquarters of the Western Region then, we have the Liberty Stadium, Cocoa House and several other laudable projects that the region could be proud of.

“This reminds us of the strengths and great exploits in infrastructure development, housing estates, road network, free education, free health care, industrial estates, Agricultural farms, etc.

“All these remained the enduring legacies of our heroes past that are unsurpassed in Nigeria till date,” he stated.

“Awo’s government also created the needed synergy and model for national development,” he added.

The Yoruba generalissimo lamented that today’s leaders, especially, politicians in the South-West didn’t have the capacity to re-invent the glorious moments of the Western Region, saying they were either too powerful or too weak to be the selfless, servant-leader like the late Awo, adding that many of them were also detached from the people they served or led.

“For example, since 1999 when the so-called nascent democracy began, strange thinking and ideologies have become the lot of the politicians.

“The politicians become moneybags overnight and monetize their ways into elective positions

“This was not the practice during the Awolowo’s years,” he said.

“For example, since 1999 when the so-called nascent democracy began, strange thinking and ideologies have become the lot of the politicians. The politicians become moneybags overnight and monetize their ways into elective positions

“This was not the practice during the Awolowo’s years. In the past, you cannot buy the electorate, no matter the amount of money you put on the table. You can not buy their conscience and mortgage their future.

“The Yoruba of those years are very articulate. You cannot deceive them twice. Yoruba of those years have their orientation and they believe in what you are able to put on the table in terms of programmes or manifestoes.

“They can only give you their votes when they are sure that their future is well secured and guaranteed,” he added.

Iba Adams, who said he was not afraid to speak the truth while disclosing that he was aware that some were people hired to track his voice on issues, raised the alarm over the sum of $100million being planned to be spent on renovating the National Theatre, exclaiming: “Eru Nigeria bami” literally translated, “I fear Nigeria.”

Adams said this should not be so, wondering how miluch was expended to build the structure in the first place.

“It should not be so, how much was it built with?” he queried.

Adams expressed concern about the growing external debt of the country, which he said had climbed to N50 trillion, even he recalled that there was no oil during Chief Awolowo’s time, but said it was a pleasant period, which people still long for.

Speaking further, the Yoruba generalissimo quickly called attention to the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enock Adeboye’s reaction to the current rot in the society, saying for the cleric to have voiced out his concern on the state of the country, a man he said was never known for a public outburst, showed that the sufferings had spread to the nooks and crannies of the country.

“If we say the truth, we will die, if we don’t say it, we will die,” he said.

Dr Michael Oni, Guest Lecturer at the event, said tradition is not ritualism, maintaining that life is sacred as no religion allowed the killing of fellow human beings.

Oni, who is a senior lecturer at the University of Lagos, posited that there was the need to give Yoruba tradition a forceful outlook, asserting that tradition was not the enemy of religion, adding: “It is the only way to grow, tradition is our own, tradition means no harm.”

“People give a bad name to it, in order to throw the baby away together with birth water,” he said.

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